Doll eye mechanism



Nov. 7, 1950 w, ows 2,529,240

DOLL EYE MECHANISM Filed May 11. 1949 INVENTOR. wuam 9%.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOLL EYE MECHANISM William H. Barrows, Lansing, Mich. Application May 11, 1949, Serial No. 92,685

This invention relates to toys, is particularly concerned with dolls, is more particularly concerned with dolls heads, and is most particularly concerned with the mechanism housed in the head of a doll provided for actuating the alternate closing and opening of the eyes of the doll, and is still more particularly concerned with a gradual closing movement of the eyes of the doll simulating the natuial procedure of falling to sleep.

In the prior art there are mechanical devices designed for actuating the eyes of a doll, that is, for closing and opening of the eyes of a doll, but unfortunately the closing movement of the eyes does not simulate the natural process in that the eyes of the doll are abruptly and quickly closed. Naturally when a living being falls asleep the eyes close slowly. Although there is disclosed in one patent a mechanical device wherein the eyes do close slowly but the mechanism is of such awkward design that this movement is not always positive. It is for this reason that the mechanical device in the patent above-noted has not attained any popularity.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mechanism for the closing and opening of the eyes of a doll. It is still a further object to provide a mechanism for the gradual closing, and opening of the eyes of a doll. It is a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism for the gradual closing, and opening of the eyes of a doll whereby the said gradual closing of the eyes is positive. It is still a further object to provide a mechanism for the gradual closing, and opening of the eyes of a doll of such design that the construction is simple, and sturdy.

I have now discovered and invented a doll mechanism, and I am now able to avoid the disadvantages of the prior art and am able readily to accomplish the objects set forth.

While some of the more outstanding features, and advantages of this invention have been hereinbefore indicated, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the dolls 1 Claim. (01. 46-169) Fig. 4 is a section throegh the mechanism of this invention when the doll is awake.

Fig. 5 is a. vertical section through the mechanism of this invention when the doll is falling asleep.

The two truncated cones l, and 2, have covers 3 at the base thereof, and these covers are securely attached to the base portion of the cones, completely closing the hollow of the cones. The twotruncated cones l, and 2, meet at the sections parallel to the bases of each of the said truncated cones, or frustums, and are securely fastened to each other by the flange 4. The actuating angle bracket 5 is secured to one of the truncated cones l, and the extending portions of the said angle bracket 5 has a slot therethrough. One end portion of the lever 6 passes through the slot in the angle bracket 5, while the other end of the said lever ii is rigidly secured to the right eye l by means of the plastic fastening In, which fastening If! is secured to the said right eye 7. The bar 9 passes transversely through each of the eyes I, and the two ends of the said bar 9 are rotatably secured to the insides of the head portion of the doll. The bar 9 is rigidly secured to each of the eyes, so that the movement of the lever 9 causes the movement of the right eye 1, a movement of the bar 9, and therefore of a simultaneous movement of the left eye 1. The eyelashes 8 are secured to the eyes and extend outwardly through the eye openings through the hollow head I i At the bottom portion, substantially where the two truncated cones meet, a pin support it is secured to each of the two truncated cones. The Fig. 2 shows the transverse extent of the said pin support l3. The fulcrum pin i2 is rotatably secured at each of its ends in the plastic bearings 5. The bearings l5are secured to the inside sides of the head H. The said pin It passes through the hole in the support it. A pair of tubular separators I 4, mounted on the pin 52, one on each side of the truncated cones i, and 2, serve in keeping the said cones in place substantially midway Within the dolls head. A stop bar It is rigidly secured at each of its ends to each of the two supports ii. The said supports are secured to the sides of the head. The said bar it? serves in limiting the distance of the movement of the truncated cones I and 2 by causing one of the cones to rest thereon the said bar [5-, when the dolls eyes are in an awakened position. The stop bar i9 is secured to the two supports I 9, andserves in limiting the distance of the movementof the truncated cones land 2 by causing ring now to the above-mentioned mechanism,

the supporting ring 2! is rigidly secured at its external boundry by the inside wall of one of the truncated cones l. The weight ring 30 has a bevelled opening through the center thereof, and

vthe funnel valve 28 is brazed in this opening.

The supporting ring 2| also has a bevelled opening 23 through the center thereof and a portion of the funnel valve 23 conforms therein the said opening. The stop ring '25 has an opening 26 through the center thereof, and the said stop ring is mounted on the ends of the three rod supports 21. The other ends of the said rod supports 2'! are secured to the supporting ring 2|. The weight ring 30 has access to free, down and up mo ement within the boundary of the three rods 21. The numeral 29 designates the smaller opening in the funnel valve 28. The funnel 22 is secur d by its base external boundary to the inside wall of one of the truncated cones 2, and at its top to the supporting ring 2 I'.

As shown in the Figs. 1, and 4, the actuating parts are in this position when the eyes of the doll are in open position. The pellets are caused to empty downwardly into the truncated cone shown. When the cones are in the position as shown by these Figsv 1, and 4, the lower cone has descended to its most downwardly position, that is it-has descended as far as the stop M5 allows. The angle bracket 5 causes the lever 6 to swing downwardly, and the eyes are partially moved so that the pupils of the eyes are in direct line with the opening in the head i I. This position of the eyes produces the appearance of an awake doll. When the doll is placed horizontally, with the dorsal parts being most downwardly, the mechanism in the Fig. 5 is in substantially the position shown. The weight ring 38, with its funnel valve 28 descends downwardly, so that the extending portion of the funnel valve conforms with the bevelled hole formed in the ring 2|, and the pellets are caused to gradually descend from the uppermost truncated cone, through the funnel valve 28, through the constricted opening 29 in the said funnel valve, through the funnel 22, and into the lowermost truncated cone. Since the opening 29, in the funnel valve 28 is substantially constricted, the movement of the pellets is slow, the swingable movement of the two cones is slow and the closing of the eyes of the doll is gradual, simulating the progressive slow movement in the closing of the eyes of animate object. When all of the pelof the said funnel valve 23 is now larger and is formed by the opening 29. Since the opening now'is substantially larger the pellets now quickly 4 pass through into the other and lowerly disposed cone.

I wish particularly to point out that although the mechanism of my invention is adaptable for use in connection with a toy, the design of the same enables the construction of a substantially sturdy and workable means for accomplishing the intended purpose. 7

Having clearly set forth the construction, utility and advantages of my invention I wish particularly to state that it will be apparent that changes in the details of the construction and arrangement of the various members of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

In combination with a dolls hollow head, an eye actuating mechanism comprising a pair of truncated cones, the said cones being opposed and joined at their'conic sections, a fulcrum, the said fulcrum being secured to each of the said cones substantially at the points of the joint thereof, a fulcrum pin, the said fulcrum pin having bearings at each end thereof the said pin, and the'said bearings being attached to the inside of the wall of the head of the doll, a pair. of separator tubes, each of the said separator tubes being thereover the said fulcrum pin, and being separated by the said fulcrum, a pair of covers, one of the said covers being secured to each of the bases of the two truncated cones, re-' spectively, a supporting ring, the said supporting ring being secured at its periphery to one of .the said cones, the said supporting ring being disposed substantially at the conic section of one of the said cones, a plurality of ring supports, a'

stop ring, one end of each of the said ring supports being secured to the said supporting ring, each of the other ends of the said ring supports being secured to the said stop ring, the said stop ring having an opening, the said opening being centrally disposed therein, a funnel valve, the said funnel valve being movably disposed between the said supporting ring and the said stop ring, and the said funnel valve being surrounded by the said plurality of ring supports, the said supporting ring having a bevelled opening, the said opening being centrally disposed and adapted for the funnel valve to conform therewith, a funnel,-

the said funnel being disposed within the second said truncated cone, the periphery of the base of the said funnel being secured to the inner wall of the second said truncated cone, and the periphery of the conic section being secured to the said supporting ring, an actuating angle bracket, the said actuating angle bracket being secured to the outside of one of the said truncated cones and being disposed substantially near the base thereof, the said actuating angle bracket having a slot therein one of its sides, an eye bar, a pair.

of eyes, the said eyes being rigidly secured to the said eye bar, the said eye bar being movably secured at each of its ends to an inside wall of the head, the said lever being rigidly secured-at one end to one of the eyes, the other end of the said lever being held therein the said slot of the said actuating angle bracket, a lower stop bar, an upper stop bar, the said lower stop bar adapted for regulating the distance of the movement of the truncated cones While the eyes are in the awake position, the upper stop bar being adapted for regulating the distance of the movement of the truncated cones while the eyes are in the sleeping position, a plurality of pellets, the said 5 6 pellets adapted for passage from one cone to the UNITED STATES PATENTS other, to align the pupils of the eyes with the Number Name Date eye openings in the head of the doll to simulate 515,956 Hensel 6 1894 an awake position thereof, and to disalign the 1 193 947 Trost Aug 8 1916 pupils of the eyes with the eye openings in the 5 2144857 schult; 1939 head of the doll to simulate a sleeping position thereof. FOREIGN PATENTS WILLIAM H. BARROWS. Number Country Date The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

